Prayer rally Friday for Cook, others with mental illnesses

WOOD RIVER — The grandmother of a man facing terrorism charges, but who she claims is mentally ill, is holding a prayer rally Friday for the suspect and others with mental illnesses.

The rally will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Madison County Wood River Facility, 101 E. Edwardsville Road, Wood River. The public is invited to attend.

“If you know someone that is suffering with mental illness please come out and join me in prayer as I uplift my grandson Keaun Cook and others in prayer,” said Debra Thomas of Godfrey.

Cook, 18, is undergoing a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation after being charged with making a terrorist threat and material support for terrorism, both Class X felonies. Thomas has been trying to get mental health treatment for her grandson for years and denies he is a terrorist.

A.J. French, a local mental health awareness advocate, said she will be supporting Bradley Lavite. Lavite, a veteran, was banned more than a year ago from going back to work in the Madison County Administration Building in Edwardsville after suffering a post traumatic stress disorder-related incident away from work.

“When I learned what happened to Bradley Lavite, my spirit was grieved,” French said. “The worst possible thing happened to the best possible man. I wanted to support my friend, but this is about all of us. Mental health and trauma impact nearly every citizen of Madison County. How we respond when the unexpected happens reveals who we are as a community. Let us be a community that turns to God as we learn to love one another.”

The gathering will have prayer stations with guest speakers, including individuals with mental health issues, friends and colleagues of Lavite, representatives from Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois, IMPACT CIS, Next Steps, law enforcement, elected and appointed officials and National Alliance on Mental Illinois, Thomas said. The program will end with a restoration rally.

“We will not leave this man behind,” Thomas said. “He will not be forsaken. We will not be the community that turns our back upon on our brother.”